Salary guide, May 2025
Lead Mechanical Assembler pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers in the United States was $53,710 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $45,230 and $74,920.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-2031 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
Lead Mechanical Assembler is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $38,500 | $45,230 | $53,710 | $74,920 | $77,750 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18.51 | $21.75 | $25.82 | $36.02 | $37.38 |
BLS estimated 34,000 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-2031 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,400 | $50,910 to $72,170 | 90 | 0.04 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,400 | $50,910 to $72,170 | 90 | 0.04 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $49,630 | $40,950 to $49,630 | 540 | 0.55 |
Rank every metro for Lead Mechanical Assembler
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$80,170
- Rubber Product Manufacturing$72,380
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing$71,040
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$70,150
- Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing$61,680
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$60,530
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing$60,530
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing$56,270
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturing$55,340
- Manufacturing$53,710
- Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$49,800
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)$48,990
- Machinery Manufacturing$47,470
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing$47,270
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$46,070
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 31,810 | $45,400 | $53,710 | $75,770 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 21,900 | $46,810 | $60,530 | $75,930 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 19,090 | $46,500 | $60,530 | $75,930 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 9,140 | $41,920 | $47,470 | $58,450 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 5,420 | $40,940 | $46,070 | $57,870 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 2,920 | $44,940 | $48,990 | $57,330 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 2,320 | $49,620 | $70,150 | $93,130 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 480 | $49,620 | $61,680 | $64,680 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 390 | $35,170 | $43,660 | $53,400 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 360 | $35,120 | $43,660 | $50,940 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 360 | $35,120 | $43,660 | $50,940 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 310 | $47,250 | $47,270 | $56,460 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 230 | $64,060 | $80,170 | $84,950 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 200 | $44,510 | $56,270 | $63,960 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 190 | $37,390 | $71,040 | $72,380 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 190 | $44,510 | $55,340 | $67,940 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | $39,040 | $49,800 | $58,400 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $60,990 | $72,380 | $75,660 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Lead Mechanical Assembler, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $42,790 | $52,540 | $70,050 |
| May 2025 | $45,230 | $53,710 | $74,920 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about an interview based on the work?
Build the interview around difficult assembly work and practical guidance during equipment builds. Those limits help establish hands-on build leadership versus formal management of the entire assembly department; they are part of competence, not a weakness to talk around.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Lead Mechanical Assembler?
The median annual wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers in the United States was $53,710 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $45,230 and $74,920. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $38,500. 90% earned less than $77,750.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Lead Mechanical Assembler at a plant?
Lead Mechanical Assembler is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 34,000 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
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What does this data mean for your opening?
The Lead Mechanical Assembler position maps to the SOC 51-2031 category for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers. As of May 2025, the national median salary for this group is $53,710. This indicates a $1,170 increase compared to the May 2024 median of $52,540.
Manufacturing Headhunters notes that these figures capture a broad spectrum of assembly work, which does not distinguish between individual contributors and lead technicians who perform hands-on build leadership.
Industry-specific national data highlights a variation in median pay across sectors. Motor Vehicle Manufacturing leads with a median of $80,170, followed by Rubber Product Manufacturing at $72,380 and Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing at $71,040. These industry figures show how different manufacturing environments influence compensation for mechanical assembly. It is important to note that these BLS statistics exclude common extra-base pay components like shift premiums, production bonuses, and total benefits. The mapping is limited by the grouping of all engine and machine assemblers into a single occupation.
Regional data from the two highest employment metros provides additional context. The location quotient for Detroit is 7.99, while Greenville stands at 10.69, reflecting a high concentration of the base occupation within those labor markets. Because these records use a broader SOC, they do not account for the specific responsibilities of lead assemblers who resolve assembly problems from drawings. The figures are provided as a direct reflection of the OEWS dataset.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How should a hiring manager use the middle band width for this role?
The band width helps identify the spread of wages between the P25 and P75 marks. In this case, the $29,690 national gap demonstrates the significant variance in assembly pay across the industry.
What is the primary limitation of the BLS data for Lead Mechanical Assemblers?
The data is mapped to the broader SOC 51-2031, which does not isolate lead-level technical duties or specific plant responsibilities. It aggregates all assembly tasks regardless of individual seniority or scope.
Does the median change from May 2024 indicate a trend for this specific role?
The $1,170 increase reflects the aggregate movement for the SOC 51-2031 occupation. Manufacturing Headhunters identifies this as a general trend, not a role-specific adjustment.
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